Titans Insider » Craig Stevenshttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans
Titans news and analysis from Tennessean.comSun, 16 Mar 2014 15:26:22 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6Titans should get boost at TEhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/09/titans-should-get-boost-at-te/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/09/titans-should-get-boost-at-te/#commentsMon, 09 Dec 2013 23:07:19 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27983The Titans expect to be much healthier at the tight end position when they take on Arizona this Sunday.

Starter Delanie Walker missed yesterday’s game with a concussion, but he did some working out on his own last week ,and Titans coach Mike Munchak likes the progress he’s made.

“I think he’s ready now,” Munchak said. “He’s going to his last exam tomorrow and then we assume he’ll be fine.”

In addition, Craig Stevens – who saw just 11 snaps against Denver – should be ready for more action against Arizona, which features the NFL’s fifth-rated defense. Stevens had missed the Titans’ previous game against Indianapolis due to a concussion.

“His confidence, I think, grew (against Denver), so we can play him a lot more the next three weeks,” Munchak said of Stevens. “So we should have him back at full health I hope this week and the same thing with Delanie.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/09/titans-should-get-boost-at-te/feed/0Outlook not bright for Walker against Denverhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/06/outlook-not-bright-for-walker-against-denver/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/06/outlook-not-bright-for-walker-against-denver/#commentsFri, 06 Dec 2013 19:40:39 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27939Chances of Titans tight end Delanie Walker playing against the Broncos on Sunday are not so good after he missed practice all week.

Coach Mike Munchak officially listed Walker (concussion) as questionable, but will make a final decision on his playing status after working him out Saturday morning.

Munchak pointed out that tackle David Stewart has played after not practicing all week, but it’s difficult. The fact that Walker is an eighth-year pro will help him.

“You’d rather not have to do it,” Munchak said. “… He’s a guy that could get away with doing it, and maybe we use him in more of a limited package.”

Walker, who was hurt last week against the Colts, didn’t sound overly optimistic about his chances.

“I didn’t practice all week. You’ve got to get at least one practice in so you can play, but we’ll see how it goes tomorrow and how I feel,” Walker said. “We’ll go from there.”

Walker, who has a team-leading five touchdown catches among his 45 receptions, didn’t completely rule out playing without any practice.

“I think I could,” Walker said. “But it’s always good to get practice in, especially going against a good team like Denver.”

In addition to Walker, the Titans listed tight end Craig Stevens (concussion), wide receiver Damian Williams (hip) and Stewart (shoulder) as questionable. Stewart practiced Friday for the first time this week. Munchak sounded optimistic about all three playing against the Broncos.

Stewart is expected to practice on Friday, while Walker will have to pass his final concussion tests before he’s allowed back on the field. Coach Mike Munchak was encouraged by the amount of off-field work Walker did on Thursday.

Linebacker Akeem Ayers (groin), punter Brett Kern (back) and tight end Craig Stevens (concussion) were all limited. Munchak sounded optimistic about the chances of all three playing on Sunday.

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/05/titans-inj-report-for-thursday-2/feed/0Thompson still learning nuances at TEhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/05/thompson-still-learning-nuances-at-te/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/05/thompson-still-learning-nuances-at-te/#commentsThu, 05 Dec 2013 20:59:18 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27925The injuries to tight ends Delanie Walker and Craig Stevens could give Taylor Thompson more opportunities in the passing game, but he still appears to be a work in progress.

A fifth-round pick in 2012, Thompson has only been targeted six times this season, and all of those were in the past four weeks. The former college defensive end has three catches for 13 yards.

Thompson has, however, continued to impress as a blocker and a special teams player.

“Obviously you’d like him to be involved in the passing game a little bit, but we’re going to play to his strengths,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “Right now, his strengths are definitely in the run game. I thought he did a nice job helping us there (against the Colts), in protection and in the run game. He does have the ability to run routes and Ryan did target him two or three times.”

As for his play in the passing game, Thompson is still getting a feel for the position.

“As he plays more, you’d like to think he continues to grow in that position,” Loggains said. “Still, that’s his biggest challenge as a football player is evolving as a pass-catcher and a route-runner. I think it’s the feel, the distribution of timing and becoming a route-runner because there is an art to that.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/05/thompson-still-learning-nuances-at-te/feed/0Titans looking for TE, FBhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/02/titans-looking-for-te-fb/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/02/titans-looking-for-te-fb/#commentsMon, 02 Dec 2013 22:59:04 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27856The Titans may well be in the market for a fullback and a tight end this week.

If they could find one player to fill both roles, that would be even better.

The Titans lost fullback Collin Mooney to a knee injury during Sunday’s game against the Colts, and it’s possible he could miss the rest of the season. Mooney was seen after the game with a brace on his knee and using crutches.

“We couldn’t run the goal-line, we couldn’t run a lot of things because we didn’t have a fullback or a tight end,” Munchak said. “So we were pretty short-handed there, in different packages we would have liked to get into. We’ll definitely have a fullback on the roster.”

The Titans went into the game already down one tight end, as Craig Stevens sat out with a concussion. Then in the first quarter, tight end Delanie Walker suffered a concussion and missed the rest of the game.

Munchak said Stevens worked out Monday and could return to practice this week. Walker’s status is unclear.

Ideally, the Titans would find someone who could play both tight end and fullback.

“They’re just hard to find,” Munchak said. “Unfortunately the colleges aren’t grooming these guys anymore, other than Alabama and some of the SEC teams. There aren’t a lot of fullbacks coming out of college these days. I wish we could find one that could (fill both spots). That would be nice.”

After Delanie Walker was knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a concussion, Thompson rarely left the field during a 22-14 loss to the Colts on Sunday. He was the team’s only healthy tight end since Craig Stevens had been deactivated from the game-day roster because of a concussion he suffered last week.

“It was tough for us, especially in an offense where we use the tight end so much,” said Thompson, a second-year pro. “I know (offensive coordinator) Dowell Loggains had to adjust some things. It made things tougher.”

The Titans missed Stevens in the run game — he’s regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. They missed Walker as a pass catcher — the eighth-year pro had a career-best 10 catches for 91 yards in the Nov. 14 game against the Colts.

“It hurts you when you lose Delanie,” coach Mike Munchak said. “It’s more about the passing game allowed the defense to play different coverages. So that’s a huge loss. … Your two starting tight ends are out of the game.”

The Titans were forced to give tackle Mike Otto some snaps at tight end in the run game. They also lost another key blocker, fullback Collin Mooney, to a leg injury. He left Lucas Oil Stadium on crutches, his knee in a brace.

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/12/01/titans-hurting-at-tight-end/feed/0Friday injury updatehttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/11/01/friday-injury-update/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/11/01/friday-injury-update/#commentsFri, 01 Nov 2013 19:08:28 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27403The Titans will be without middle linebacker Moise Fokou for a second straight game, as he was ruled out for this week due to a knee injury.

Titans coach Mike Munchak sounded optimistic about the chances of all the questionable players for Sunday except for Griffin, whose status remains uncertain. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, and was limited on Friday.

“He did a lot with the scout team and a little bit on defense,” Munchak said of Griffin’s work on Friday. “He moved around better than we thought. So we’ll see how he responds tomorrow and make a decision on Sunday.”

Griffin has never missed an NFL game, playing in 103 straight since he was drafted.

“That makes it even harder,” Munchak said of possibly sitting Griffin this weekend. “But again, if he’s not ready, we’re not going to put him out there.”

Griffin was in the training room Friday afternoon and not available to the media, but he offered this statement to the team’s public relations staff: “It’s getting there. It’s getting to where it needs to. Would I say I’m 100 percent? No. but I’m getting there.”

If Griffin doesn’t play against St. Louis, his spot will likely be filled by George Wilson.

Defensive end Kamerion Wimbley, who missed Thursday’s practice for personal reasons, was a full participant on Friday.

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/11/01/friday-injury-update/feed/0Snap-count snapshothttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/14/snap-count-snapshot-for-titans/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/14/snap-count-snapshot-for-titans/#commentsMon, 14 Oct 2013 14:25:18 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27154Here are some observations about snap counts in the Titans’ 20-13 loss to Seattle on Sunday:

The big one is obviously at wide receiver, where Kenny Britt got just two snaps. It appears that Britt’s critical third-down drop the previous week in Kansas City was indeed the last straw for offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, since Britt was healthy and practiced all week. Britt’s absence gave much more playing time to Damian Williams, who had 35 snaps, but didn’t result in much more for rookie Justin Hunter (6 snaps).

Defensive end Derrick Morgan’s shoulder injury limited him to 24 snaps. But that still didn’t mean a ton of playing time for veteran Kamerion Wimbley, who was on the field for just 17 snaps. Meanwhile, rookie defensive end Lavar Edwards – playing in just his second NFL game – got 36 snaps. He posted three tackles, but was called for a big offsides penalty in the fourth quarter.

Defensive tackle Sammie Hill was back in action for the first time in a month, but clearly still has a ways to go before he’s back to 100 percent. Hill, who’s been recovering from a high ankle sprain, played just four snaps.

Craig Stevens played 20 snaps and Taylor Thompson 15, but neither tight end was targeted in the passing game. That’s the way it’s gone all year for both players. Through six games, Stevens has been targeted twice for passes and has zero receptions. As for Thompson, the Titans haven’t thrown a ball to him yet this year.

The knee injury to starting middle linebacker Moise Fokou gave former starter Colin McCarthy a season-high 22 snaps on defense. He totaled one tackle, adding two more on special teams.

Best: Wide receiver Damian Williams made a couple of excellent catches on Ryan Fitzpatrick passes, stretching out both times at the right sideline to haul passes in … Wide receiver Nate Washington beat Alterraun Verner down the left sideline and Jake Locker hit him in stride in the end zone … Tight end Craig Stevens reacted quickly to a deflected Locker pass near the end zone, diving for the falling attempt and hauling in it for a touchdown.

Worst: All three starting linebackers were missing due to injury. Patrick Bailey, Kadarron Anderson and Tim Shaw replaced the starters … Kicker Rob Bironas shanked one attempt of about 45 yards badly to the left.

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/08/19/mon-practice-observations/feed/0Walker injury slows progresshttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/07/28/walker-injury-slows-progress/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/07/28/walker-injury-slows-progress/#commentsSun, 28 Jul 2013 16:31:32 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=25592In terms of his versatility, experience and athleticism, Delanie Walker has an overall skill set that separates him from the Titans’ other tight ends – Craig Stevens and Taylor Thompson.

The team is planning to use him in a number of different ways this season.

So the fact that Walker will miss the first few weeks of training camp recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery has changed the Titans’ immediate offensive plans.

“It has altered things in some capacity because we’re not going to install stuff that we would do with just Delanie,” Titans offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “It’s slowed down the install a little bit. There’s obviously things we’d do with Delanie that would be specifically for Delanie that we’ve held out to this point.”

On the other hand, Walker’s absence does give more training-camp snaps to Thompson, who’s looking to make strides as a receiver in his second season, as well as roster hopefuls like Jack Doyle, Brandon Barden and Martell Webb.

“It’s been a good opportunity for Taylor to take the next step and get some more reps that way,” Loggains said. “But we wouldn’t use Taylor the same way we would use Delanie.”